"The Latin mus," he says, "became muratus, and then ratus, which gave us rat."
He deals no less successfully with haricot, viz:
"The Latin faba became by corruption fabaricus, which altered into fabaricotus, and finally into aricotus, which gave us haricot."
After this we may appreciate Voltaire's remark that "philologists take no account of vowels, and very little notice of consonants."
Nor do boys.
If the answers given by candidates at examinations are often remarkable, the questions asked by the examiners are often more wonderful still. Here are a few which have been seriously asked, and—proh pudor!—published:
"Define, with reference to passages in the Lettres Provinciales, 'grâce suffisante,' 'grâce efficace,' 'grâce actuelle,' 'casuisme,' 'pouvoir prochain,' 'probabilisme.' Also explain what is meant by 'casuistry.' What can be said in its defence?"
"Give some account of Escobar."
"What are the principal differences between the Latin and the French languages?"